Tesla Motors, the company which leapt to fame with its electric supercar, opened a European flagship store in the heart of Knightsbridge in late June – a 5000-square-foot showroom on Cheval Place.

Tesla is also planning regional sales and service centres in Monaco, Munich and Zurich, and four new outlets in the United States. The first cars will be delivered to European customers this summer, starting with 250 units of the Signature Edition Roadster model (priced from £94,000 on the road), with the option to upgrade to the more powerful Roadster Sport. A right-hand drive entry-level variant of the two-seater sportscar will go on sale in the UK early next year.

The Roadster is the first electric vehicle to travel more than 200 miles on a single charge, and the first EU- and US-certified lithium ion battery electric vehicle. The Roadster claims the equivalent of 256 miles per gallon, travels more than 240 miles on a single charge and produces zero tailpipe emissions. In London, Teslas are exempt from the Congestion Charge.

To date, 1300 orders for the Tesla Roadster have been taken across Europe. Reservations for the Model S saloon are now also being taken, a model which Tesla expects to produce from late 2011. The Model S promises ‘unrivalled passenger and cargo space’ and will travel up to 300 miles per charge.

Text - Charis Whitcombe
Photos - Tesla